Two killed in small plane crash

Officials in Montgomery County said a couple was flying to Williams Airfield from Austin when their plane went down. The couple's daughter was supposed to pick them up at the airfield.

FAA representatives are already investigating the crash and NTSB investigators will arrive Friday.

"It's a tragic ending to what was hopefully going to be a nice weekend for these folks," said Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace James Metts.

Witnesses said as the pilot appeared to be landing the aircraft, it picked back up again.

Sergeant Derek Leitner of the Texas Department of Public Safety said, "From witnesses on the scene at the airport, they said they observed the airplane come in about 50 feet off the ground. It began to climb, then took a sharp bank to the left into the tree line."

Authorities said the pilot was Daniel Boyd Williams, 59. His wife Rheta Lynn Williams, 58, was in the passenger seat when the plane went down.

"From the point of impact to the tree that's sheared off up there, it's not 50 feet before the plane hit the ground. So he had to be coming in at a pretty good angle. It's got a pretty good cavity in the ground," said Metts.

The crash scene is just 75 yards from the airport perimeter and even closer to a home where a woman and her son were inside.

"Some debris from the trees hit the house, but nothing from the plane. They're shaken up as can be expected if a plane hit your backyard," said Det. Leitner.

Authorities said they may never know if the pilot can be credited for one last effort to steer the plane just enough to keep it from hurting anyone else.

"It actually hit the fence that is surrounding the property which is in the immediate backyard. It took out part of that. It was very close," said Metts.

Local officials said there was no fire upon impact. They also said they do not believe the couple's daughter witnessed the crash as she was still on her way to the airport when the plane went down.

Stay with ABC13 Eyewitness News for the latest on this developing situation.